It is officially over! Carnival ended last night and, for another year we will be back in our daily routines: work, no masks and confetti, basically the same everyday as the rest of the year. I really had fun this year. More than most of the others. I didn't work for my group (usually serving food and drink) because I wanted to go wild through the streets exactly like thousand of other people! Last night I was in a very aweful state!!! Very tired. 5 days of dances, loud music, proseccos and junk food every night was a little too much! I wore my psycho-angel costume. I went out simply because I didnt have anything to eat and drink at home. Went out at 9PM had couple of proseccos and 2 double burgers!!! That was all I did!!! The party was til 6AM. At 11PM the king of Carnival was giving back the key of the city to the mayor (symbolic tradition...the city from last night is back in the hands of the mayor...how fucked up is that...the mayor is a freak...we want the king of carnival to own the city all year long!!!!). Then at midnight the fireworks. Then music non stop til the morning. At 10 PM I collapsed in my bed!!! Today we had the morning free at the office. I am still very tired. And honestly a lttle sad it is over...well, this weekend there are 3 more carnivals: our carnival as many other follows the Roman Rite while the later ones follow the Ambrosian Rite. I am still not sure if I'll go to those too...I'll see...

Even too tired to shoot a picture!!!!!! They actually suck but is just to show you (part of) the dress!!!

Here are some more pictures of Carnival! I am resting a little my mind since tonight it's going to be the last night of partying non stop! Then, everything in the city will go back to normality...for another year!

In two hour my city will completely change! Carnival officially starts tonight! I will get ready in a moment. Dressed like an evil pirate I will go out and dance all over the place. With me thousands of other people with funny costumes. Bands playing the typical carnival music. Music, fun and as usual, way too much alcohol! The party for this first night will officially end at 4AM in the morning...at 8 I have to be at work! Every other night until next wednesday is free night which means partying non stop all night long! Imagine your city in a sublime mix of colors sourrounded by very loud music for an entire week!!! Awesome!! I will post something tomorrow (if I can make it !!!) I am still not sure if I'll bring my little camera tonight...last year I got robbed! Have a wonderful night you all!!!

It is almost here! We all waited for a year and now it finally came. Next thursday carnival will officially start. For 6 days and 6 nights the city will transform itself into a giant mess of colors, masks, musical groups and hopefully happy people! For us, carnival is the moment during the year where we can forget about everything and anything and just have fun. All dressed up (this year I will wear the same outfit as last..pirate! And one night only the crazy-geisha costume!!) we walk through the city dancing, drinking and having absolute fun. I love it. Still, after writing the previous post, I can still relate carnival with some of the terms I used, especially "behind". For some reason many people, during carnival, assume a complete different character, personality. Is it only because, behind a mask, they feel safer to be themselves? Who knows...I do not wear a mask only because it itches and it makes it really hard to drink!!!!!

Thinking about colors, music, fun, costumes/dresses, strange materials, weaving and structure (or non-structure!) here are some more images.

As I said in the previous post, on the day followning my birthday I was invited to a dinner-pseudo-symbolic-party that took place in Busto Arsizio (Italy). The event was called "La Giöbia" and it happens every year the last thursday of january. It is a tradition of the region, during that particular day, to burn an ugly puppet. The rite is symbolic and propitiatory: you burn the negativity of the winter and all the bad things that happened in the previous one, auspicating a good year, if the bonfire has a good flame. The point of us going to italy was also another one. My dad has founded a culinary group almost 15 years age. All of the participant just go and eat strange stuff! Women are only allowed to participate once a year. They met with other similar groups on that night. We were almost 200 attending the dinner. The night was actually strange! Strange were also the members of the italian culinary groups. Rotary Club meets food!

The italian members were dressed like they really were at a propitiatory rite!

It all had the feeling of being some centuries ago!